NSF 01-2 - Grant Proposal Guide - Department of Biology

CHAPTER II: PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS
Any substantial collaboration with individuals not included in the budget should be described and documented
with a letter from each collaborator, which should be provided as supplementary documentation and included
in Proposal Section I.
The project description only can be submitted to NSF as a PDF file. Conversion to PDF allows the PI to
preserve formatting such as bold, underline, and italics. Detailed instructions for creation of the PDF file are
available at http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a1/pdfcreat.htm. (See also “Special Instructions for Proposals That
Contain High Resolution Graphics or Other Graphics Where Exact Color Representations are Required for
Proper Interpretation by the Reviewer”, Chapter I, Section E.1.)
A proposal for renewed support may be either a “traditional” proposal in which the proposed work is documented
and described as fully as though the proposer were applying for the first time; or, an “Accomplishment-Based
Renewal” (ABR) proposal, in which the project description is replaced by copies of no more than six reprints 15
of publications resulting from the research supported by NSF during the preceding three to five year period,
plus a brief summary of plans for the proposed support period. (See Chapter V, Section B.2 for additional
information on preparation of Renewal Proposals.)
All proposals for renewed support of research projects from academic institutions only must include, as part of
Results from Prior NSF Support, information about any contribution of the completed project to the education
and development of human resources in science and engineering at the postdoctoral, graduate and
undergraduate levels. Non-academic organizations are exempt from this requirement. (See Chapter V, Section
B.2. for more information.)
Results from Prior NSF Support
If any PI or co-PI identified on the project has received NSF funding in the past five years, information on the
prior award(s) is required. Each PI and co-PI that has received more than one prior award (excluding
amendments), must report on the award most closely related to the proposal. The following information must
be provided:
a. the NSF award number, amount and period of support;
b. the title of the project;
c. summary of the results of the completed work, including, for a research project, any contribution to the
development of human resources in science and engineering;
d. publications resulting from the NSF award;
e. brief description of available data, samples, physical collections and other related research products not
described elsewhere; and
f. if the proposal is for renewed support, a description of the relation of the completed work to the proposed
work.
Reviewers will be asked to comment on the quality of the prior work described in this section of the proposal.
Please note that the proposal may contain up to five pages to describe the results. Results may be summarized
in fewer than five pages, which would give the balance of the 15-pages for the Project Description.
The Metric Conversion Act of 1975, as amended, and Executive Order 12770 of 1991 encourage Federal
agencies to use the Metric System (SI) in procurement, grants and other business-related activities. Proposers
are encouraged to use the Metric System of weights and measures in proposals submitted to the Foundation.
Grantees are also encouraged to use metric units in reports, publications and correspondence relating to
proposals and awards.
15 Reprints should be provided as supplementary documentation and included in Proposal Section I.
12